Chapter 36: Comrades
A month after the incident with the Sanbi team kakashi is summoned to the hokage's office for a mission.
"What's the mission Baa-chan?" Naruko says
"We've received information that a kekkei genkai user from suna has gone missing and was last seen heading to mt. shumisen your mission is to investigate it and locate the missing kekkei genkai user." the hokage says
"Is that it?" Naruko says
"Yes that's all you're dismissed." the hokage says as the team leaves her office and heads out of the village west gate to head to mt. Shumisen that is located between the land of earth and land of grass. When they arrive Sai uses an ink bird to fly through the sky and scout the area but, he is blown out of the sky by exploding feathers from an unknown source he crash lands on the mountain heavily injured. Naruko goes on ahead to rescue him despite Kakashi's orders to fall back. She is attacked by weird dogs with spears on their backs that injure her with the spears but, she manages to reach Sai and collects him as the strange dogs pursue her but, they are knocked back by Sakura who uses cherry blossom impact on the ground kicking up the earth separating the dogs from Naruko and Sai when one of the dogs lunges toward them it's knocked back by Kakashi who is using his lightning cutter. Sakura and Kakashi jump next to Naruko as she hiraishin's back to konoha and Sakura takes Sai to the hospital. While, Naruko handles her own injuries and Kakashi reports back to the hokage. He explains to the hokage that he may be the next to disappear due to a dream he had of Hiruko placing a puppet curse seal on him during the third shinobi war. That night a projection of Hiruko a missing nin of konoha claims that he has four kekkei genkai users and plans to steal a fifth making him immortal with that he announces the fourth ninja war against the 5 great shinobi villages. When the projection ends Tsunade receives a summons from the fire daimyo demanding an explanation for what has happened. Tsunade declares that Hiruko is a missing nin from Konoha but, doesn't know where he is. The fire daimyo orders Tsunade to prove Konoha innocence by bringing in Hiruko or have the village be destroyed by the other villages to ensure peace. When Tsunade returns to konoha she places a time-release technique on Kakashi to activate his Kamui when Hiruko attempts to absorb the sharingan. That night Kakashi visits Naruko and hands her the bells that were used in the bell test for them to become a team. He explains how proud he is of her and how she has grown despite everything she has endured. Kakashi goes home to visit Hanare one last time and to say his goodbye to their son Obito Hatake giving Hanare an explanation for why he has to do this for the village to which, she cries and holds onto him as he prepares to leave. He informs Shikamaru about what he has to do and asks that Shikamaru to stop Naruko from interfering that night the puppet curse seal activates and Kakashi makes his way out of the village knocking out the guards at the west gate. Naruko. having been tailing Kakashi for his strange behavior, attempts to intervene but is stopped by Shikamaru using his shadow possession jutsu. Naruko backs down and heads to the hokage's office where the hokage declares to Sakura and Naruko that they're to stand down and let Kakashi fulfill his mission as she is forced to declare him a missing-nin. Naruko is confined to a cell by the hokage but Sakura breaks her out and they flee Konoha to rescue Kakashi. Shikamaru is put in charge of the remaining Konoha 11 and they're ordered to bring Naruko and Sakura back to the village. Meanwhile, Gaara has headed in the direction of mt. shumisen to collect their kekkei genkai user is attacked by one of Hiruko's men with exploding feathers in a valley with Gaara's escorts. The Suna village has troops placed on the border with the land of fire believing konoha is responsible for the attack on the Kazekage. Naruko and Sakura follow Kakashi's trail to the first gate of mt. shumisen when the others catch up to them and try to convince Naruko and Sakura to return to the village. When Naruko explains what Kakashi taught them at the bell test about becoming worse than scum it changes the minds of the Konoha 11. Ichi, one of Hiruko's team arrives and attacks with his snakes using Dual headed snakes. Team guy holds him off as the others make their way to the second gate where Ni is with her dogs and Team Kurenai stays to hold her off as Naruko and Sakura with team Asuma trying to stop them. Meanwhile, Jiraiya encounters the suna troops with a message to them from Gaara in his sand for them to stand down. At the third gate Sai appears and carries Sakura and Naruko away as Team Asuma is stuck fighting the last of Hiruko's men San. Gaara intercepts Team Kakashi claiming that Naruko is too idealistic and lacks the strength to make her ideals a reality. Naruko engages Gaara and eventually breaks through Gaara's Shield of Sand and hits him. Naruko then, joins up again with the team and heads toward the fourth gate. Meanwhile, San is fighting Team Asuma. He summons Ichi and Ni to his side and performs the chimera jutsu to become a chimera beast just as Team Kurenai and Team Guy catch up and begin battling the beast. At the fourth gate Kakashi goes through the gate. Just as Team Kakashi catches up to him. Hiruko appears and engages the team who attack but, Sai's tanto slash is countered by Hiruko's steel release: impervious armor, Sakura's blow is caught by Hiruko's boil release: unrivaled strength, and Naruko's clones are destroyed by Hiruko's storm release: laser circus. The team is knocked back and is blown away by Hiruko's darkness release; Judgement. Naruko is about to confront Hiruko again when Shikamaru intervenes preventing Naruko from walking into a trap and tries to talk Naruko out of interfering.
"Don't you see that Kakashi is trying to sacrifice himself for the sake of the village's future." Shikamaru says
"If we let him then, Konoha has no future as it sacrificed the thing that's most important its values." Naruko says
"Naruko there's only one chance to defeat Hiruko since, his form is incomplete a part of him must still be exposed to incorporate the fifth kekkei genkai." Shikamaru says
"I figured I'll most likely only get a single chance to hit it." Naruko replies as she goes ahead into the temple on top of mt. shumisen to see that the ritual to absorb the 5 kekkei genkai users in progress. As Kakashi is being absorbed the Kamui activates inside HIruko's slime , Naruko pulls him out as the Kamui deactivates and saves both Kakashi and Hiruko from Destruction. As Hiruko stabilizes and takes human form again he creates a huge lightning storm thanks to storm release that destroys the temple.
"Naruko what have you done." Kakashi says holding his eye
"Just save it Kakashi and get ready it looks like we'll have a fight on our hands." Naruko says as she looks toward Hiruko who is grinning for being saved from Kamui.
"I must thank you for stopping him girl because it would've meant my destruction." Hiruko says
"Shut it I didn't do it for you." Naruko says heatedly
"You're right but, there's still time before the eclipse ends and my chance to absorb the sharingan passes." Hiruko says as he gets ready to attack
"Bring it we'll kick your ass." Naruko says Meanwhile, the konoha 11 plus Sakura and Sai are being held up by the chimera beast that they're fighting leaving Kakashi and Naruko to fight Hiruko alone.
"Let's begin shall we." Hiruko says as he launches his bandages as the slashing bandages technique that makes them sharp as steel. As Kakashi and Naruko dodges them and Naruko counter with wood release: nativity of a world of trees covering the mountain top with tree's as Kakashi forms a lightning cutter and charges Hiruko who uses dark release: inhaling maw to absorb the technique and kicks Kakashi away as Hiruko makes his way toward Naruko who forms shadow clones with a rasengan in each of their hands and they charge forward. Hiruko jumps from one clone to another with the lightning cutter in hand and destroys all the clones he then, sucks up all the rasengan's in the area and comes close to Naruko who is trying ensnare Hiruko with Adamantine sealing chains. When he gets close to Naruko he hits her with a big ball rasengan sending her flying toward the tree's as Kakashi attempts to use earth release: rending drill fang against Hiruko who uses steel release: impervious armor to absorb the blow. He then punches Kakashi with boil release: unrivaled strength sending Kakashi flying back as Hiruko laughs as he generates storm release: laser circus to fire it at the direction of Naruko who is charging him and dodges the laser by a thin margin as she throws the tri pronged kunai and performs shuriken shadow clone techniques creating dozens of kunai that Hiruko uses impervious armor to have bounce harmlessly from his body Naruko teleports right next Hiruko's right side and uses a regular rasengan against Hiruko sending him flying into a tree that he slices through with his bandages. He lands on his feet keeping his right side away from Naruko.
"The flying thunder god jutsu it's just as impressive as the stories tell to bad that will only work on me once." Hiruko says with a sneer
"Kakashi I can disable his dark release but, I need you to buy me sometime." Naruko says to Kakashi who jumps to her side.
"I don't know how much time I can give you." Kakashi says his eyes on his opponent.
"As long as you can, will have to do it." Naruko says with a serious expression as she stares at Hiruko.
"Fine wish me luck." Kakashi says as he charges Hiruko who merely smirks and charges Kakashi. They engage in Taijutsu as Hiruko uses impervious armor to avoid any debilitating blows. Kakashi jumps back and performs the hidden mist technique and proceeds to pull out a kunai and charges into the mist to face Hiruko. He nicks and scratches and tares some bandages and clothing but, can't penetrate Hiruko's armor. Kakashi jumps back and uses hiding like a mole technique and dives into the ground and burrows underneath Hiruko and pulls him underground with double suicide decapitation as Hiruko pulls himself out he is sent flying into the air from an exploding tag to his back. As Hiruko lands being protected from the blast by impervious armor he gets up as Kakashi uses twin lightning cutters and attacks Hiruko who absorbs the Jutsu and hits Kakashi with it who turns into electricity from being a lightning clone as the real Kakashi comes up from the ground and hits Hiruko in the side of the chest with a rasengan of his own sending Hiruko into more trees flying through three of them to be planted in a fourth. Naruko appears and performs wood release: all creation technique against Hiruko binding him in a bunch of roots around the tree. Hiruko uses boil release: unrivaled strength to break free slowly as Naruko charges with a rasengan in hand that Hiruko catches with his hand that has dark release mark in it. Naruko jumps back and tries to bind Hiruko in Adamantine sealing chains but, Hiruko dodges them all and aims to punch Naruko who teleports to one of the Hiraishin kunai. Hiruko charges Naruko who throws a kunai behind Hiruko as he comes toward her. Kakashi catches the tri pronged kunai in the distance. Hiruko uses storm release: laser circus against Naruko who barely evades the attacks with minor injuries. Hiruko uses his slashing bandages but, Naruko uses wood release: wood dragon jutsu and launches at Hiruko who uses his impervious armor to protect him from being crushed in it's wooden maw. As the dragon carries Hiruko he manages to break himself out as the dragon smashes it's head into the earth. Kakashi appears as Hiruko uses unrivaled strength to break out of the wood dragon as Kakashi performs Lightning cutter kunai jutsu as Hiruko attempts to use dark release: judgement but, the technique fails to his shock as Kakashi pierces through Hiruko's right shoulder as he turns on his impervious armor.
"How?!" Hiruko stutters out from the charge running through his body.
"It's not over yet!?" Kakashi says As Kakashi jumps back with the Kunai in hand a tri pronged one that he let's go of as he backs away just as Naruko Appears with an ultra big ball rasengan in hand and hit's Hiruko point blank in the right side and is sent flying into the mountain side as the Rasengan burrows a hole into the mountain and explodes. Hiruko indented into the Mountain and his impervious armor is gone with a hole in his right side and his right arm is twisted and bent at an odd angle useless. Naruko and Kakashi step up toward Hiruko and sees he's barely alive looking like an old man.
"How..did you beat me?" Hiruko asks weakly
"I put a kekkei genkai blocking seal on your hand when you absorbed the rasengan when you were bound allowing Kakashi to strike you with lightning cutter." Naruko says as she points to hiruko's hand that has a seal on it.
"How did you know that I would absorb it instead of block it?" Hiruko asks
"You can't resist using others techniques against them so, I knew you would absorb it and take the seal." Naruko says simply
"I see you used my reliance on my dark release against me." Hiruko says weakly
"Yes I did but, it wouldn't have worked without Kakashi help you were defeated by teamwork plain and simple." Naruko says
"Teamwork...Huh I guess that would make you strong...having teammates." Hiruko says faintly
"Instead of relying on stolen Kekkei Genkai you should have looked to your comrades for strength." Naruko says sadly
"Comrades...Huh...I see." Hiruko says as he passes on.
"Naruko thank you" Kakashi says after a moment of silence
"For what Sensei?" Naruko asks
"For reminding me to trust in comrades for strength." Kakashi says with an eye smile as he turns to see the Konoha 11 plus Sai arriving having defeated the chimera beast together.
"Kakashi you're alright thank goodness." Sakura says relieved
"Thank you everyone" Naruko says to the group
"No problem it was a drag but, we dealt with Hiruko's teammates." Shikamaru says
"I think it's time that we all head home." Naruko says as they all grabbed onto each other as Naruko Hiraishin's them back to Konoha to report to the hokage who removes Kakashi status as a missing nin and a relieved Hanare and son see Kakashi at home. As the the konoha 11 go home to their families.